The following article is the first installment of a two-part series by LTN Reporter Ian Lopez.

Like most things technological, data proliferation has arguably outpaced those tasked with handling the information in an adequate manner, let alone a consensus as to what exactly is an adequate manner, though the world is finding ways to keep afoot.

The agreement on data protection reform reached by members of the European Commission on Dec. 15 in Brussels is the most recent step taken to bring the EU into the digital age. Along with the sweeping reformation as applied to consumers, law enforcement and the companies managing and utilizing data have different perspectives on everything from how privacy is viewed to the ways in which commerce around data will be conducted.